Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were presented with two options by King Charles when they expressed their desire to leave the Royal Family.

The monarch is said to have told the Duke of Sussex they could either remain within the “safety tent” of the UK and royal life or be “cast away and castigated as comprehensively as possible”. Meghan and Harry relocated to Montecito, California, after stepping down as senior royals.

According to a report in the Byline Times, this ultimatum was designed to minimize “the threat of them eclipsing the royal family.” However, in his explosive memoir Spare, Harry claimed that neither he nor Meghan anticipated losing their security upon leaving the Royal Family.

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In Spare, Harry said his family lost their palace-provided security, which he feels left them exposed. He also expressed his initial belief that the palace would uphold its “implicit promise” to maintain it.

However, the Duke of Sussex said this was not the case once they left the UK. It is now thought that Harry is funding his own security to safeguard himself, his wife, and their two young children – Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

Neighbors of the couple have reported seeing the Duke of Sussex frequently accompanied by his security guards, including during bike rides. Richard Mineards, a neighbor of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, told The Telegraph that Harry is only spotted walking on the beach, cycling, or occasionally going out for dinner.

In fact, Harry appears to never step out without his security detail. Neighbors also claimed their attempts to welcome the royal couple were thwarted by stern-faced security guards.

One such instance involved local man Frank McGinity, author of Get Off Your Street, who expressed his sense of rejection in his memoir after being dismissed at the gate of Meghan and Harry’s lavish residence.

McGinity was curtly informed that “they’re not interested” in neighborly camaraderie when he tried dropping off some films he made about the history of their upscale Montecito neighborhood.

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